Starting device for internal-combustion engines.



J. F. OVBERT.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINS. APPLIOATION HLBDVooT. 8,1912.

1,077,292. Patented Nov.v 4, 1913.

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JOHN r. oBER'r, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

STARTING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENG-INES.

Specicaton of Letters Batent.

PatentedNov. 4, 1913.

Application iled October 8, 1.912,. V Serial No. 724,610.

To all whom z'zf may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OiBERr, a

citizen of the United States, and` residing at .Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Devices for Internal-Combustion 'Engines, of which thejfollowing is a specification.Y v l This invention relates to improvements in starting devices for internal combustion en-V gines, and more especially for those employed upon auto and motor-cycles,

An object of the invention is to provide a foot operated initial turning device for the engine shaft which in its Operation will automatically make and break the connection with such shaft and .will also relieve the operator from injury from accidental back-firing of the engine.

AA still further object is the provision of a foot operating lever which in its operative' movement automatically connects with mechanism capable of initially rotating the engine sha-ft and at the same time automati- 4cally through different elements brings such mechanism into operative engagement with the shaft and automatically rele-ases upon a premature explosion.l

Vith these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of. parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and ypointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure L1 is a top plan view of the device showing its rela- .t-ion to i'the -engine shaft but having the Vsprocket chain removed.. Fig. 2 is a front side elevation of the foot lever and lits adjacent operated mechanism. Fig. 3 is a Vcentral vertical transverse sectional view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one vof the peripheral dog and ratchets, and, Fig. 5 is a detail view ofthe pivotal end of the foot lever showing the return spring, the cover `cap being removed therefrom.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, .a stationary plate or portion ,10 .of themotorcycle or machine is provided with a fixed stop axle 11 having its outer end reduced forming a spindle 12. Ajfoot lever 13 having a hub 141 is mounted for rotation upon the smooth surfaced portion of the spindle 12 VVand adjacent the annular shoulder 14: of `the axle, said lever'being normally held in theposition shown in Figs. 1 and y2 bythe ,encircling hub spring 15 secured at lone end `to the spindle 12 and at .the other end tothe hub 14C while an adjustably positioned cover a Aratchet in connection with a plurality of dogs 22 pivoted upon the support 10 as best shown in Fig. 3.- A 13a-W124 being carried by the foot lever 13 normally engages the internal toothed rack 25 carried by the outer spool disky 62. A clutch casing 2 6 having the hub y27' is mounted upon the spool hub 2O having the ball bearing 28 positionedv ktherebetween while upon the exterior thereof the annular flange 28 carried thereby is rigidly lmounted the sprocket wheel V29. -Within the casing so formed and journaled upon the hub 27`is a further clutch member Y 30 to which the clutch or brake bandsv 31 operated by the levers 32 and links 33 are pivoted by means of the posts 34. Pivotally connecting said levers 3,2 with the inner face of adjacent spokes 35 of the spool'disk 62 are the links 36 having take-up springs 37. Said i levers 32 areY adjustably connectedY by the springk mechanisms 38 uponr bothv sides of the hub, it being noted that any movement of said levers 32 toward the hub and toward each other is adapted to result in a setting of thebrake bands 31 into firm engagement with the inner face of the flange 28 to thereby bring vthe power sprocket 29 in clutch IAthe devised mechanism.

with the spool 19 through the wheel disk 62 thereof.

The outer free end 39 of the engine shaft is toothed for engaging the teeth upon a stub shaft 40 so positioned as to be brought into clutching engagement therewith upon relative longitudinal movement, said stub shaft having a small gear wheel 41 secured thereto. A sprocket chain (not shown) is adapted to transmit power between sprocket wheels 29 and 41 upon the forced rotation of the former. The lever arm 13 has a handle or pedal member 42 which under impulses of the foot forces the lever 13 in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 2 and with the pawl 24 engaging the teeth 25 of the wheel disk 62 of the spool 19 and whereby the spool is partially rotated upon an axle 11, the dogs 22 engaging the peripheral teeth of its disk 21 to prevent a rearward movement thereof. The spring mechanisms 38 are preferably of suflicient strength for setting the brake bands 31 against the inner face of the flange 28 whereupon the continued movement revolves the sprocket 29 and through the agency of the power sprocket chain (not shown) turns the small sprocket 41 and the stub shaft 40, which latter, when placed in clutch with the engine shaft 39 in the manner hereinafter set forth, imparts a starting movement to the said shaft.

Y The stationary support 10 is provided with a bracket 43 upon which is pivoted the angular rocker arm 44 having one end thereof engaging the relatively and rotatable collar 45 of the stub shaft 40, Also pivoted to the bracket 43 or an adjacent portion of the permanent support is the L- shaped lever 46 resiliently held in normal position against the adjustable stop 47 secured to said bracket by means of the coil spring 48. The lever arm 13 is normally positioned in engagement with the notch 49 of the short end 50 of said lever while pivoted upon said end and adjacent the termination thereof is the latch 51 having a limited length of movement. 1t will therefore be seen that upon moving the lever 13 for propelling the stub shaft 40 that the lever 46 is automatically moved upon its pivot and which through the agency of the spring 52 connecting said lever to one end of the rocker arm 44 thereby shifts the end Athereof which engages the collar 45 so that the stub shaft 40 is longitudinally moved into clutching engagement with the engine shaft 39.

rilhe entire specific elements of the device have been described as well as the movement of the foot pedal 42 in accomplishing therotation of the stub shaft 40 through l From this and the description of the automatic means whereby evident.

the stub shaft 40 is clutched with the engine shaft 39 the complete operation of the foot pedal and lever 13 in imparting the initial movement to the engine shaft 39 will be The lever 46 being normally positioned byits pivotal spring 4S as shown in Fig. 1 insures the normal position of the foot lever and shaft clutch members in their unset or disengaged positions, which is also insured by the pivotal spring 15 of the lever 13. The revolutions of the spool 20 are always in one direction and are substantially one-fourth of a revolution upon each cranking operation.

A reverse movement or a kicking back of the engine shaft and the consequent reverse impulse given to the sprocket wheel 29 cannot turn the spool 19 as the same is held by the dogs 22 engaging the rear disk thereof and for this reason no reverse movement is imparted thereby to theJ lever 13 such as might injure the operator. The reverse movement however, of the sprocket 29 acting on the links 36, the outer ends of which are held stationary by the wheel disk 62 results in releasing the brake bands 31 of the clutch so that the sprocket 29 will be free to revolve.

While the forms of the invention herein shown and described are what are believed to be preferable embodiments thereof, it will nevertheless be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What 1 claim is 1. A device of the class described comprising in combination with an engine shaft, a stationary axle, a spool journaled upon said axle, a stationary support, peripheral teeth upon the outer side disk of said spool, dogs pivoted to said support adapted for engagement with said teeth, an internal rack upon the inner side disk of said spool, a foot lever journaled upon said axle, a pawl pivoted to said lever adapted for normal engagement with said internal rack, a sprocket wheel journaled upon said spool between the side disks thereof, clutching' means positioned between said sprocket wheel and said inner side disk of said spool, and operative connections between said sprocket wheel and engine shaft.

2. A device of the class described comprising in combination with an engine shaft, a stationary axle, a spool journaled upon said axle, a stationary support, peripheral teeth upon one side of said spool, dogs pivoted to said support adapted for engagement with said teeth, an internal rack upon the other side of said spool, a foot lever j ournaled upon said axle, a pawl pivoted to said lever adapted for normal engagement with said internal rack, a clutch casing brake bands within said casing adapted for journaled upon said spool between the opclutching the latter to said spool. 10 posite sides thereof, a sprocket wheel mount- In testimony whereof I affix my signature ed upon the exterior of said casing, a stub in presence of two Witnesses. 5 shaft adapted for engagement with the en- JOHN F. OBERT.

gine shaft, a small sprocket wheel upon said Witnesses: stub shaft, operative connections between H. M. WADE, said sprocket wheels, and means including J. H. POWELL.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. Y 

